246 VARIETIES OF SHOT-GUNS, ETC. 



pocket till it is wanted, when the tape being pulled the 

 disk comes off, leaving the powder exposed, and then the whole, 

 being inverted, is put into the muzzle and rammed down with 

 a final tap. 



(b) Hall's first cartridge is made in the same way except- 

 ing that, instead of the tape, a disk of paper is attached to a 

 ring of metal, which, as the ramrod is applied, prevents the 

 case from going down the barrel, but allows of the powder 

 and shot being rammed down at one operation. 



(c) Hall's second cartridge is much more ingenious than 

 either, but like many most clever inventions is radically bad, 

 for the reason which will presently be given. It consists of 

 a brass tube which fits the interior of the barrel, and is 

 pushed down for its whole length, being prevented from 

 going further by a rim or turn over. This tube is loaded as 

 follows. A thin wad has a fine thread attached to it, and is 

 pushed down to the bottom, leaving the thread fixed over the 

 upper lip by the thumb ; the powder is then poured in ; next 

 follows a felt wad, then the shot, and finally a card wad, with 

 the name of the inventor on it. When thus prepared the 

 thread is cut off close and the cartridge is ready for use. 

 When the metal case is put into the barrel, a ramrod drives 

 down the charge, but in doing this the thin wad is held sus- 

 pended by the thread, allowing the powder to pass it, and 

 finally lying between the powder and the felt wad. But in order 

 to use this cartridge the wads must of necessity be smaller 

 than the barrel by the thickness of the metal cartridge case, 

 and thus there is always danger of the charge becoming loose. 

 Although, therefore, there is great ingenuity displayed in 

 the invention, I cannot recommend its use in the field. 



The two cartridges just described (a and b) may, however, 

 facilitate the loading of the percussion gun to a considerable 

 extent. 



(d) Eleys and Joyed s patent wire cartridges are used for 

 a different purpose, having reference to the shooting powers 

 only. The circular of Messrs. Eley is here annexed, its state- 

 ments being verified by my own experience as well as by 

 that of most practical sportsmen. The cartridges of Joyce 

 and Co. are similar in their construction, but Messrs. Eley 

 have the credit of the invention. 



